Landing Program Cuts CO2 Emissions For Aircrafts

Aircraft maker Boeing announced on Thursday that a system which gives aircraft tailor-made arrival paths has saved fuel and cut emissions during recent trials.

Boeing said it has worked with different airlines in the past 12 months to test its Tailored Arrivals program.

“The Tailored Arrivals project is a major step forward as it offers pilots the opportunity to fly the most fuel-efficient and timely flight paths within the bounds of safety,” said Paul Steele, director of Aviation Environment at the International Air Transport Association.

International aviation is under increasing pressure to curb its carbon pollution, because they produce about 2 percent of mankind’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The European Union will include aviation into its emission trading scheme from 2012, even though most airlines say they prefer global trading schemes because it is deemed to be the most fair.

According to Boeing, aircrews receive the arrival path guidance matched to a specific flight by taking into consideration factors including aircraft performance, air traffic, airspace and weather.

The tests, carried out at San Francisco International Airport, showed the system helped the airlines cut fuel consumption by 1.1 million pounds and carbon dioxide emissions by 3.6 million pounds over a year, it said.

Boeing added that around 1,000 flights into San Francisco by Boeing 777 and 747 aircraft were assessed.

The airlines included in the test were United Airlines, Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand, Qantas and All Nippon Airlines.

Singapore Airlines will join the test program last this year, it said.

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Image 2: Boeing [NYSE: BA] and partners in industry and government achieved significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during a recent deployment of an innovative Air Traffic Management (ATM) concept called Tailored Arrivals. This graphic shows the difference between a Tailored Arrival (on the left) and a traditional, step-down approach (on the right). In a Tailored Arrival, an aircraft makes full use of existing air-to-ground data link technology to fly an optimized flight path, ideally a continuous descent approach, which reduces fuel use, emissions and noise. Courtesy Boeing